White Demon
by Holly Warner
Summary: A year has passed, but things still seem to be the same a world trapped in stasis, a guilt that will not pass. And so, Fujin stands up to try and make a change.
1. Albino Dawn

**Final Fantasy VIII: White Demon**

_Forged in the fires of Hell, she seeks redemption with the winds._

* * *

**A/N:** Yeargh, this thing looks a lot longer than I remember it being! Well, this is a pet project of mine I work on occasionally, when not concentrating on a few other fics I'm writing. It won't have the most urgent of update schedules, but it hopefully won't be too bad.

I guess there's a few things I should warn about, when it comes to this fic. Firstly, well, I'm liable (though not guaranteed) to turn half the cast gay. Or maybe they always were, and you just didn't know it. Either way if you do have issues with that, then by all means, don't continue on with this.

I wouldn't be surprised if some people consider both Fujin and Edea to be somewhat OOC in this first chapter, but "yah-boo-sucks" I say to you. Stick with this and you might just come to understand why they act the way they do. Or not. Maybe I just suck at characterisations. You'll just have to find out yourselves by reading more of this!

Oh, and I know the tagline is really cheesy. Maybe I'll think up a better one some other time.

* * *

**Chapter One - Albino Dawn**

It wasn't a bad life, she mused, but it was pretty dull. Sure, for most people it would be perfectly acceptable, but she wasn't most people. And then there was the fact that she was lonely as well. The two idiots, as she thought of them affectionately, were good company, but she couldn't really talk to them about things. But then, she couldn't even if she'd wanted to. A girlfriend, that'd be nice. Someone who wasn't laden with testosterone and just spent most of their time goofing around. The goofing was good she had to admit; for too long she'd been all wrapped up in misery, and then she moved onto spite and hatefulness. Now, now she was just bored with everything. She needed to get some excitement back into her life. She missed fighting really. You didn't get many monsters in the small town they'd relocated to, and apart from the odd bar brawl, she didn't fight people either.

She knew what she'd do though. She didn't know if the others would join her; in a bizarre way, she hoped they didn't and she felt bad about that, but she wanted this to be something she'd do for herself, by herself. She didn't want to rely on anyone else, to succeed because of her own strength. She smiled to herself; she would succeed where even they had failed. Of course, she still had to find Balamb Garden first, but she had a few ideas about that...

* * *

Edea sat out on the veranda, calmly sipping a cup of tea as she stared out over the ocean, the sky darkening as it inched ever closer towards the evening. It was all so peaceful now and she was truly thankful for it. Memories of the terrible things she had done whilst under Ultimecia's control still haunted her, but out here, away from Galbadia, away from Trabia, away from Balamb and Esthar, she didn't have to worry about them. Of course, she knew the calm would only last for so long. In the distant future Ultimecia would rise to prominence and cast the world into darkness, but she would nonetheless be defeated. Certainly, other things would happen in-between then and now which SeeD would have to deal with, but it was unlikely that anything truly major should happen in her lifetime.

She didn't turn when she heard the footsteps come up behind her, knowing it was merely her husband Cid.

"MATRON."

She blinked. That certainly wasn't Cid's voice. Not that it could have been, she realised. Her memory was clearly suffering from old age, she laughed to herself. Turning, she looked up into a single red eye staring seemingly impassively back down at her, an eyepatch presumably covering the other.

"Forgive me my child, do I know you?"

"AFFIRMATIVE. FUJIN."

"Oh, right, back when... I was under Ultimecia's control. You... assisted Seifer, did you not?"

"AFFIRMATIVE."

"I'm glad he had someone by his side at least."

Looking at the young woman a lot closer, she could see her clothes were caked in dust, as was her face and hair. Whilst her expression was calm, her single eye twinkled nonetheless with a fair degree of exultation.

"I'm afraid Cid isn't here at the moment, Squall asked him to assist at Balamb briefly, though I can contact him if you wish."

"AFFIRMATIVE. WISH TO RETURN."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise, but merely nodded in return. "Why don't you go and take a bath whilst I talk to Cid?" she asked as she set the china cup to one side, before rising to her feet. "I'm sure you must want to shed yourselves of the several layers of dirt you seem to have accumulated."

"AFFIRMATIVE."

She found her visitor to certainly be a curious one, not the least in regards to her voice. She led the young woman back into the house, procuring a towel and bathing robe for her before showing her the bathroom. "If you put your clothes in this basket," she said as she placed one besides the door, "I'll see what I can do about giving them a good clean."

"CAN'T ASK THAT," came the shocked reply.

"Nonsense, you called me Matron, and I'd do this for any of my children. Don't worry yourself about it. It wouldn't be the worst thing I've had to wash within these walls, believe me."

Standing over the sink about half an hour later, her arms almost up to their elbows in the warm water, she smiled to herself. She actually found she missed this. Of all the silly things, washing someone else's clothes should hardly be the thing of reminiscences, but there she was, thinking about times past. Of the children she'd looked after and how they'd grown to become fine people through the years after she had left their lives, when she had taken in the powers of a second sorceress, Ultimecia.

She'd lost years of her life to that woman, constantly living in fear of the day she would lose control and possibly destroy everyone and everything that she cared about.

The truth of it was, she realised, that she would never escape those memories wherever she was. She had killed most of Trabia Garden, she had assassinated a country's president in front of a large crowd, she pitted Garden against Garden and nearly started a war. So many had died at her hands and no amount of scrubbing could cleanse them. Though the big blue jacket did seem to be fine now. She lifted it out of the basin giving it a quick shake to get rid of the excess water, before going outside to put it onto the clothesline, along with the rest of the young woman's clothes.

The earlier call to Cid had been quite amusing, but after he got over his initial surprise and a brief discussion with Squall, they'd agreed to at least talk to Fujin about the matter of her reacceptance. Zell was to be dispatched aboard the Ragnarok to pick her up the next day, the fast jet enabling the round trip to easily be completed within a span of twenty-four hours.

Knocking on the bathroom door, she got no response, nor when she called out to her guest. Peeking her head around the door, she found the young woman asleep in the bathtub. Moving to her side, she reached out to shake Fujin's arm, instead finding it quickly lashing out towards her, hand clutching tightly at her throat. Turning her head, the grey-haired woman saw what was happening and quickly released the ex-sorceress, instead scrambling to her feet as Edea fell to the floor, gasping for breath.

"APOLOGIES. BLIND SIDE. STARTLED," Fujin said as she started to clamber out of the tub, instead slipping and hitting the ground forehead first. Quickly getting to her knees besides the older woman, she pulled Edea's hands away from where they rubbed her throat before examining her neck carefully, gently tilting her head one way and then the other. "BRUISING ONLY," she reported, rising to her feet, offering a hand down for Edea to take.

Hoisted quickly back to her feet as she took it, Edea looked up the small difference in their heights. She reached out her right hand, gently brushing the damp hair away the left side of Fujin's face, uncovering her ruined left eye. Surrounded by a mass of gnarled scar tissue, the space where her eye should have been was empty, neither eyeball nor eyelid there. Her fingers traced down Fujin's face to run along the jagged white line that curved around her neck.

"My poor child, what have they done to you?" she whispered, a tear rolling down her face, horrified that someone of Fujin's young age could have been through so much pain and misery already.

Fujin leaned forwards on tiptoes, gently pressing her lips to Edea's forehead. "THANK YOU," she said, before turning to pick up the towel where she'd left it.

"I, uh, I'll go and cook us something. I'm sure you haven't had a good meal in a while."

"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin smiled back before Edea left the room.

* * *

The dinner was a fairly simple affair, chicken stew, but Fujin attacked it with relish. She'd mostly been living off the land whilst crossing the Centra continent, having travelled through Esthar, an adventure all of its own, especially whilst running from a group of Ruby Dragons in the mountains. She felt a lot fitter than she had before she'd left; the simple life the posse had led had made her soft in places she hadn't been for a long time.

"So, where were you after the situation ended?" Edea asked.

"FH," she said between mouthfuls of the stew.

"With Seifer and... Raijin was it?"

"AFFIRMATIVE. MY BROTHER."

"The two of you are close then? Why isn't he here with you?"

"NOT ASKED. LEFT NOTE."

"We're a bit out of the way here; how did you get here?" she questioned, not prying into the situation.

"WALKED."

Edea laughed at the obvious joke before she saw the look on Fujin's face, an eyebrow raised as held a polite smile. "You're serious? Why on earth would you do that?"

"TRAINING. GOT SOFT. PROVED MYSELF."

"To who?"

"MYSELF." She lifted the bowl up, pouring the last of the stew down her gullet, setting it down with a resounding thwack. "VERY GOOD."

"You can finish mine if you want, it's refreshing to see someone eat my cooking with so much relish."

"NEGATIVE. YOU EAT. TOO THIN."

Edea laughed again, amused by the young woman's frankness. "Well, if you insist," she replied wryly before draining her bowl in a similar fashion, though with less success at spilling it down the front of her top. She couldn't help but laugh, Fujin joining in as well, the harsh sound filling the air, but was caught short by a bout of coughing, clutching her throat at the pain.

"Does that happen a lot?" Edea asked, after the cough had died down, a worried look on her face.

"TALK TOO MUCH. LAUGH TOO HARD. HAPPENS."

"And it can't be cured?"

"NEGATIVE."

"Have you considered going to Esthar and talking to the doctors there? They're a lot more advanced than the rest of the world, so they may be able to fix your throat."

Fujin shook her head. "NOT CITIZEN. NO MONEY."

"Hmm, but if you become a SeeD, you'll get a salary, and they have a healthcare system. They might even pay for it."

"MAYBE," she grunted noncommittally, shrugging her shoulders. Truth be told, Fujin wasn't sure she'd want her throat fixed even if it were possible. She'd suffered the affliction as long as she could remember; it was as much a part of her as her albinism. To change that would be to change who she was. She shrugged again, this time to herself, and then stifled a yawn.

"Yes, it is getting late. Which reminds me, all of the guest beds are still in storage, and it hardly seems worth getting one out for just a single night. However, I wouldn't sentence any poor soul to sleeping on the couch or the floor, so..." Edea trailed off, hesitant to raise the suggestion.

"SHARE BED?" filled in Fujin, seemingly unphased.

"If you don't mind that is," she replied, getting a shake of the head in response. "Alright, do you need anything before you go to sleep? Toothpaste and whatnot?"

"NEGATIVE. IN PACK." Saying so, she got up and retrieved it from the veranda where she'd left it. She paused to look out over the nighttime ocean before sighing and heading back inside. Once Edea was finished with the bathroom, she trooped in, brushed her teeth and washed her face, before entering the master bedroom. Edea was climbing between the sheets as Fujin peeled off the clothes she had borrowed, moving around to the other side of the bed. Placing them down on a chair, she removed her eyepatch and set in on a bedside table. As she lifted the sheets to slip in, she paused, noticing the older woman staring at her. It took her a moment to realise what it was that made Edea blush like she was; her naked body silhouetted in the moonlight pouring through the window. She shrugged and slipped into the bed anyway. Pulling the sheet back up to cover herself, she stretched in the bed, arching her back as she purred, eliciting further stares.

"TWO MONTHS. NO BED. SHEETS ON SKIN. BLISSFUL," she said as she smiled at the older woman, prompting a few giggles.

"Good night Fujin."

"NIGHT."

* * *

She woke up with a weight pushing down upon her. For a moment she panicked, before opening her eye and realising it was just Edea, her head resting upon Fujin's bare chest, an arm draped across her body. She smiled down at the slumbering figure, running a hand through the ex-sorceresses' hair, careful not to disturb her. It felt... nice to be in a situation like this, someone who barely knew her trusting her enough to sleep in the same bed. She guessed Edea just missed her husband and instinctively snuggled up to the body in their bed.

After basking in the warmth of Edea's embrace for a few minutes, she gently slipped out from underneath her, putting her pillow into the older woman's grasp instead. Taking her eyepatch from the bedside table, she slipped it on, lifting her hair from underneath the elastic, and then padded her way out of the room.

* * *

Blinking her eyes open, she found the other half of the bed deserted, a pillow squashed up against her body. She blushed, remembering how the young woman had climbed into her bed stark naked. For a moment, Edea had thought Fujin had misunderstood her intentions in offering to share the bed. Now here she was, still gripping the pillow which had mysteriously found its way into her arms. She could guess as to how it had gotten there and blushed again.

Nonetheless, Fujin was nowhere to be seen. Had Zell already arrived and gone? No, she would have heard the Ragnarok easily. So where was she? Edea clambered out of the bed, rubbing at her eyes as she walked throughout the Orphanage. She wasn't within its walls though; walking out onto the veranda, she saw a figure on the beach, dancing gracefully through the sand. Hah, dancing, she thought. Anyone more than half awake would know she's practicing. Setting herself down in a chair to watch, she noted how deft Fujin's movements were, her arms and legs flashing outwards sharply whilst still maintaining strict control. Clouds of sand blew up around her legs as she took measured step after measured step, every movement highlighting the well-defined muscles covering her body, from her calves to her arms. Even from the distance she was at, she could clearly see the sweat pouring down Fujin's body; it was then that she realised the young woman was still naked.

"Honestly, children these days," she murmured to herself, smiling. She shook her head and went back inside, making herself a cup of tea. It was fifteen minutes later when a nude Fujin marched back into the Orphanage, offering Edea a curt nod before slipping into the bathroom, and a further five before she trooped back out and took her clothes off of the washing line, slipping into them easily. The older woman watched all of this with much amusement.

"I'm curious, do you always parade around naked in front of other people, Fujin?" she asked, a smile on her face.

The younger woman paused, uncertain how to respond. "NOT PARADING. JUST NOT CLOTHED." She paused again before continuing, "YOU'RE NOT MALE. NOT LETCH. WHY BE BOTHERED? SEIFER. RAIJIN. NOT NAKED AROUND." She gave a short cough as she finished.

"Surely you've known them for years though," Edea said, knowing full well it still didn't really work that way.

"MAN. WOMAN. NOT NAKED UNLESS LOVERS. RAIJIN? BROTHER. SEIFER? HAH! YOU MORE LIKELY," followed by another short cough.

"Well, I'm flattered to hear that," smiled Edea. She marvelled at the swift change in her own personality since this young woman before her entered her life. Further proof that she'd really been starved for company other than that of her husband and those she had raised in the Orphanage. They'd always be like the children she'd never had to her, so she couldn't completely be herself around them. She'd be somewhat sad when Fujin would have to leave later this day, she realised.

They passed their time waiting for Zell's arrival by reading, Edea surprised when Fujin pulled a battered paperback from her pack, picking up from where a leather bookmark had rested. At noon, the hyperactive martial artist still hadn't arrived, so the matron took her usual walk along the beach. She couldn't help but notice the sly grin Fujin was sporting once she returned, her eye twinkling with merriment every time she looked up from her book. No amount of verbal poking and prodding would get her to reveal what it was that amused her so, but Edea didn't really seem to mind at all.

It was after lunch when the roar of the Ragnarok's engines were heard coming closer, the noise cutting out as it landed a few hundred meters away.

"GO. GREET. BE THERE SOON," said Fujin as they both stood. Edea shrugged, and walked through the front door towards a galloping Zell who was obviously very pleased to see her.

"Matron, am I glad to see ya! Sorry I'm so late, Sasha was in a bit of a snit with me."

"Sasha? Ah yes, your young lady from the library. I'm happy things seem to be working out for the two of you. I'm sure everything will be fine once you return."

"Yeah! Was kinda my fault, but like Squall likes to say, whatever. Anyway, so who's our mystery guest? Squall didn't tell me who I'm picking up."

Fujin picked exactly that moment to emerge from the Orphanage, carrying her pack and a large suitcase, which caught Edea's attention, since the young woman certainly hadn't arrived with it. As she reached them, Fujin set the suitcase down and gave Zell one of her curt nods, only to be met by a closed fist to the jaw, nearly sending her to one knee. "NONE LOOSE," she muttered to herself after probing her mouth with her fingers. Spitting out blood to one side, she straightened back up, staring right back at the furious Zell.

As Edea's arm flashed out to deliver an open-handed slap to the marital artist, Fujin's was faster as it grabbed her wrist. "DON'T," she said calmly as she turned to gaze impassively at the older woman. "DESERVED IT."

"Damn straight you deserved it! Not like I'd forget you leading Galbadian troops into my town!" the angry Zell hissed at her.

Fujin's right hand flashed out, striking him across the cheek. "SHAME. HITTING FRONT OF MATRON. SHOULD HAVE WAITED."

Her words took the fire out of Zell, as he looked down at his feet, quickly stealing a glance at the beloved woman.

"If the two of you are finished playing games, which I shall tell you right now that you are," Edea said, a harsh tone in her voice, "might you explain why you have my suitcase with you?"

"SIMPLE," Fujin grinned, picking up said item with the same arm that had the pack slung over it, and then stooped next to the older woman, grabbing her legs as she lifted Edea onto her shoulder. "COMING WITH."

Zell could only stand and stare slack-jawed as Fujin marched towards the large red ship, Edea screeching and hollering from her position slung across the young woman's shoulder. It wasn't until they were all aboard and in the air when Fujin finally set the ex-sorceress down.

"Really, was all that necessary?" she huffed as she smoothed down the long dress she wore, glaring at Fujin.

"AFFIRMATIVE," was her only response though as Fujin stalked through the hangar of the Ragnarok, towards the cockpit, where they found Zell leaning back in his seat, hands behind his head and his eyes closed.

As she slipped into the co-pilot's seat, Zell opened his eyes and muttered, "Don't touch anything," before closing them again. It wasn't long before snoring filled the cabin, much to Fujin's annoyance. She had to admit that she was tempted to try flying the Ragnarok, but the sheer number of buttons and levers was slightly intimidating, and she didn't really want to crash it, if only so she wouldn't have to hear Zell saying 'I told you so'. She reached around for her pack, and as she pulled out her book, she remembered something else she'd stuck in there when preparing to leave FH. Grabbing another two books from the pack, she poked Zell in the ribs, eliciting a startled grunt as he flailed about at being suddenly woken.

"What?" he demanded, turning to face the smirking Fujin, only to get a book waved in his face. "Holy crap, how did you get that?"

"STOLE FROM RAIJIN," she replied, her smirk turning into a full-fledged grin. "NOT PAYING FINES THOUGH."

"Man, I thought I was never gonna get to read this!" he enthused as he quickly opened it up.

"What is it, Zell?" Edea asked, sat in the row behind them, as Fujin turned and offered her the third book, the one which she had been reading earlier at the Orphanage.

"Goodbye Pupurun! Raijin's had this book out from the library for years! Sasha will be really happy when I give this back to her," he said. "...After I read it first though!"

With that said, he curled up in his seat and began reading, laughing every now and then as he grinned inanely, thoroughly enjoying the story.

The ex-sorceress was surprised by all of this. Not by Zell's love of children's books, for she knew he was still a child at heart, but at Fujin's seeming compassion. She found it hard to believe that the young woman could be as kind and warm-hearted as she'd shown herself to be in the last few days, and yet had aided Ultimecia during the struggles. It seemed paradoxical at best to her, but decided not to ask about it, in case she only brought pain to the albino by raising the matter. Certainly, her actions earlier suggested that she did indeed carry feelings of guilt for the things she had done. Edea pondered these matters whilst reading her book, only half paying attention to the prose.

The flight only lasted two hours, by which time Zell had nearly finished his book. Fujin felt a slight pain in her chest as Balamb Garden came into view, a combination of wariness and guilt gnawing away at her as she saw the place she'd called home as long as she could remember. Whatever life she'd led before... well, it didn't matter now. Soon enough she'd be SeeD, she was confident of that, and what else mattered? Her past was irrelevant, the future was what mattered.

Nonetheless, standing in the hangar as both Zell and Edea embarked, Fujin hesitated. Balamb Garden was a place that she could be held accountable for her sins, and she knew at least some of its inhabitants would not be willing to forgive and forget. But then, did she truly deserve a clean slate? She didn't think so, not really. She would not allow herself to forget the things that she had done; they had to be shouldered for the rest of her life. However, she was determined not to let them drag her down. Taking in a deep breath, pack slung over her shoulder, she stepped off the hangar platform and walked towards Edea, who had turned around and waited for the young woman to join them.


	2. Pale Morning

**A/N:** No reviews make me sad. Oh well, I can't complain. Maybe I really should write better summaries!

Anyway, second chapter and more characters show up, including the first OC for the story!

* * *

**Chapter Two - Pale Morning**

She couldn't help but feel like she was being stared at, though logically, she knew more attention was being paid to Edea, someone whom SeeD had once promised to eliminate, and yet was the wife of the former headmaster, someone whom they all knew. Nonetheless, she still felt the recriminations, imaginary or not. She steeled herself, making herself hard on the outside like she used to be, not caring what others thought of her and willing to be ruthless to those who crossed her.

Balamb Garden was as vibrant as ever, she noted. Groups of gangly teenagers wearing cadet uniforms walked past, chatting away, whilst a few young children could be seen playing hopscotch in one of the several garden areas that filled space between each spoke. She realised that she actually missed this place, even though she disliked most of the people there. She'd grown up here, lived here as long as she could remember. To Fujin, Balamb Garden was home.

They rode the elevator up to the third floor in silence, Zell and Edea standing at the front of the chamber, Fujin at the back. As the door opened, she was surprised by the changes that had occurred in the headmaster's office. Not that she'd been there very often, but she certainly didn't remember the second elevator, nor the extra floor that it led to.

She followed Zell and Edea into the office to one side, finding both Squall Leonhart and Headmaster Cid... no, she remembered hearing that Squall was the new headmaster, a fact which amused her since she wasn't all that much younger than him. Zell grunted, drawing the attention of the two men who were in the midst of a hushed conversation, neither having noticed the small group's entrance.

"Edea? What are you... oh! Zell, Fujin!" Cid stood up in surprise, quickly moving around the desk to greet the arrivals. "I see you had a safe journey here. Can I get any of you something to drink?"

"A peppermint tea would be nice," smiled Edea, settling herself into a chair. Fujin shook her head as Cid looked her way, so he gave a small head gesture to Zell, who quickly left the room.

"Would you like to sit, Fujin?" Squall asked.

"STAND," was Fujin's reply, earning a small smile from Squall as he nodded, having expected the answer.

"Very well then, let's get down to business. I understand you wish to re-enrol here at Balamb Garden?"

"AFFIRMATIVE."

"Why?" was the simple question he asked.

"NEED DIRECTION. STRENGTH. PURPOSE. PROVE MYSELF."

"I seem to recall you were plenty strong enough when we last fought," Squall commented wryly, a finger tracing the scar on his forehead as he remembered battles past.

"Who do you need to prove yourself to?" asked Cid.

"MYSELF. WANT VALIDATION. ACHIEVE SOMETHING. SUCCEED."

"And of course, if you did become SeeD, it would be something neither Seifer or your brother has done."

"AFFIRMATIVE. BY MYSELF. FOR MYSELF."

Zell returned just as Squall was about to ask another question, quickly giving Edea the cup and saucer he carried in, and departing just as speedily.

"I'm curious, where are they?"

"IRRELEVANT."

"Not really, I'm afraid. You've left Balamb before for Seifer, who's to say you won't do so again? A rogue SeeD is not something we'd be happy setting loose upon the world, especially considering your history."

Fujin gave a curt nod, conceding the point. "WON'T TELL," she responded, nonetheless. "OWE THEM THAT."

"Very well, I can hardly fault you for loyalty to your friends and family. We're willing to take you back on as a student, but there are a few provisos. Firstly, you'll be on probation, not allowed to leave Garden until either you qualify as SeeD or quit. Secondly, despite your history here, you'll still need to attend classes; we're only a few weeks into the semester so you should be able to somewhat fit in with either Instructor Aki or Trepe's class, whichever you choose to join." Squall paused, before turning to Edea. "Matron, will you be staying here at Garden for a while?"

"Certainly, at least as long as Cid is here."

"Would you be willing to serve as a counsellor for her?" She responded with a nod so Squall continued, turning back to Fujin. "Alright then, you'll also have to have a meeting with Edea once a fortnight, so she can judge your general progress as well as serve as an intermediary for any issues you may have. Finally, you're going to have to keep your nose clean here. I realise that several people here may remember you and what you did, causing antagonism to rise, but try to deal with such matters... as quietly as you can. I don't want to hear of you starting any fights with fellow students or SeeDs. Are we agreed?"

"AFFIRMATIVE," Fujin barked, grinning as she did so.

"Well, I'm glad that's all settled," said Cid, rising from where he had perched on the edge of the desk. Taking the white-haired woman by the shoulders, he looked her up and down. "I really am quite happy to see you again. You certainly seem to be in good shape."

"You should see her naked," came the reply from one side.

Cid, Squall and Fujin all stopped, blinked a few times and then turned to face Edea, who had turned bright red.

"WAS WRONG. YOU ARE LETCH!" Fujin cried, a twinkle in her eye.

"I didn't mean it that way, honestly. I just thought you'd be able to see her muscle definition better without clothes in the way. She's really quite impressive looking, I thought."

"That is a point actually, you'll have to have a check-up from Dr. Kadowaki as well, Fujin, and naturally, you'll need to pass that to actually be accepted, though I doubt you'll have any problems there if I'm to believe my wife!"

"...You're not going to let me get away with that one, are you?"

"Certainly not! You still tease me about the mustard, so why should I go easy on you?" Cid smirked.

"Mustard?" murmured Squall.

Fujin paused, then shook her head. "NOT WANT TO KNOW."

"...Quickly moving on, let's see about settling you into the dorms." Walking over to the doorway, he leant outwards, calling for Xu, who quickly appeared. "Can you organise a room for our new student here?" he asked, gesturing towards Fujin, who gave a slight nod in greeting.

"Certainly, if you'll come with me please?" With that, the administrator walked to the opposite office, Fujin following. After looking through a few documents, she pulled a set of two keys out of a drawer and handed them over. "There you go, 27b. Do you need anything else?"

"MEDICAL RECORDS. NEED EXAMINATION."

"Ah, I understand. Dr. Kadowaki should still have a copy on the computer. Do you want me to set up an appointment for you? I assume the sooner the better?"

"AFFIRMATIVE."

"Alright, let me just contact her about it." Reaching out, Xu hit a button the desk, causing a section to flip upwards revealing a screen and several buttons. Pressing one, it quickly connected her to the infirmary. "Doctor, when's the earliest you can fit in a student for a med exam?"

"Tell Fujin she can drop by whenever she wants, I'm not particularly busy at the moment," came the reply.

"How did you..." Xu trailed off, surprise painted all over her face.

"Word spreads pretty quickly through Garden, you should know that by now Xu! I'll expect her within the next hour or two then." The picture flickered and was gone.

"I guess you heard all that," Xu said as she turned to face Fujin once more. "Is there anything else?"

"NEGATIVE." She started to leave, but paused and turned back to face Xu. "THANK YOU."

It didn't take long for Fujin to find what would be her room until she qualified as a SeeD. It was as small as she remembered, (though she noted that the actual dormitory area in general was a lot larger) but she didn't mind all too much. After most of a year cooped up in a small apartment with both Seifer and Raijin, she'd become used to restricted living space, and her trek to the Orphanage had only exaggerated it. The small chamber and single bed before her seemed heavenly. And more importantly, it was home, not just a place she was living out of.

She slung her pack onto the bed and quickly sorted out her clothes and the few other possessions she had brought with her. Truth be told, she didn't actually own very much; her clothes, her chakram, a tatty wallet containing a credit card and some cash, and a couple of books were all she had to her name. She'd left some things back in Fisherman's Horizon, but nothing she couldn't live without quite easily.

She changed into a sports bra and baggy black shorts before putting the rest of her clothes away and then left for the infirmary. She recognised a few of the students and even one or two SeeDs she passed, but most faces she saw were new to her, which she supposed, was in her favour. Less of them to remember who she was. She knew she wasn't very good at such things, but she intended to try and actually get on with people, maybe actually make some friends in Balamb Garden. During the Sorceress War and afterwards, living in FH, she'd found out things about herself she truly wasn't certain that she liked, and one of them was her standoffishness. It was down to her insecurities, Fujin admitted, but she'd been living with them for so long that it was routine for her to push everyone away, not letting anyone in close. Here though, she wanted to start anew. She'd been quite pleased with how it had worked with Edea, though she knew it would be harder for her here.

As she walked down the corridor towards the infirmary, she thought back on when she'd last been there. She'd come to warn those in the area about the incoming missiles during the NORG insurrection, to hopefully quell the fighting, though Squall and his party had done most of the work already. Over a year had passed since then and she had finally returned.

She shivered a bit as she pushed open the infirmary door, cold air bringing up goosebumps all over her skin. Still, cold was better than heat in her opinion, at least the cold could be avoided.

"Ah, you're here Fujin," came a voice from around a corner. As Fujin followed the voice, she saw Dr. Kadowaki stood by one of the beds, a young woman dressed in a cadet uniform lying atop it, a bandage being wrapped around her thigh. "Ironically, as soon as I think I'm going to have a quiet day, the injuries come streaming in. This is my third one since Xu set the appointment for you."

"HELP?" she asked, not wanting to just sit around waiting.

"Bring a crutch from the supply room, key is on my desk," was the doctor's reply.

"AFFIRMATIVE." She returned a few moments later bearing the implement, just as Dr. Kadowaki made the last adjustments to the young woman's bandage.

"Alright then Alleyra, that about does it. I want you to keep your weight off that leg for the next week or so though, and then come back so I can check it." Turning to Fujin, she took the crutch and then passed it onto the cadet. "It'll take a bit of getting used to, but I want you to use this for getting around. Obviously, you're to be excluded from all practical lessons for the week. Other than that, you're good to go."

The cadet eased herself off the bed, wincing slightly as she stood up, and slowly made her way out of the infirmary, having difficulties with the crutch.

"Honestly, I worry about that one. She's been in here a good number of times over the last few months, never with a word of thanks either." Arching an eyebrow at Fujin who was still staring at the door, she laughed. "I must be getting old, babbling on like that. Anyway, shall we begin?"

Fujin headed for the door instead. "APOLOGIES. RETURN SOON. PROMISE," she said, giving Dr. Kadowaki a bow of the head before leaving. She caught up to the cadet before she'd even got halfway along the passageway towards the main hub.

"ASSIST?" Fujin asked as she came around her.

The cadet looked up at her, sweat visible upon her brow. "I don't need any help," she snarled before staggering a few steps away. The rubber heel of the crutch slipped and down she went, but arms quickly wrapped around her, guiding her back upright.

"APOLOGIES. ANGERED. DISTRACTED. MY FAULT." Releasing the cadet who now leant against a wall, Fujin quickly retrieved the crutch, pushing it into the young woman's hands. "ALRIGHT?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Now fuck off."

For half a moment, Fujin shied away before making up her mind. Whether this girl Alleyra liked it or not, she was going to help her, and the easiest method would be... Nimbly, she scooped the cadet up, carrying her across both arms as she started to make her down the passageway. This was getting to be a habit, she realised, the second woman today she was carrying, though this one struggled a lot more.

"Let go of me you freak!" she wailed, batting at Fujin's chest with her free arm. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"CARRYING YOU," was the only reply she got though. Alleyra stared at the woman carrying her, searching for some hint that she was being teased, but couldn't find any. Frustrated at her loss of control, she struck out again, this time eliciting Fujin to stop in her tracks and glaring down at her unwilling passenger.

"CEASE OR DROP," commanded the albino, before continuing her measured pace. Realising she wasn't going to win, the younger of the two

As they reached the central hub, they drew stares from the people they passed. "DESTINATION?"

"...The dormitory," sighed Alleyra, thoroughly consigned to the fact that she wasn't going to escape Fujin. As they pair made their way through the building, the carried woman gave directions. Finally they found themselves stood in front of the door they had been seeking.

"HOLD ON," Fujin said. Puzzled, Alleyra slung her arms around Fujin's neck, careful not to smack her in the head with the crutch she still carried. Fujin removed the arm that had been supporting the younger woman's back and delved into a pocket. A few moments later she had the door open, turning so she could slip the both of them inside.

"How did you get a key for here?" Alleyra asked, astonished.

"TWO-NINE-B," Fujin responded, gesturing with her head as she lowered Alleyra's legs to the floor. "MINE."

"Well that explains everything. They're doing it again, aren't they?"

Fujin's brow creased. "NOT UNDERSTAND," she said, confused by the sudden accusation.

"Don't play stupid, they sent you to keep an eye on me, didn't they? They couldn't get me to play nice with the other students so they sent one of their heavies to do the job instead?"

Fujin struggled to keep herself from dissolving into a fit of laughter at the younger woman's arrogance, especially how much it reminded her of Seifer, thinking that the whole world was against him, set to stop him from achieving his 'romantic dream'. "NOT SPY. LAST PERSON THEY'D SEND."

"Of course you'd say that... right?"

Fujin just smiled and shook her head. "NOT CARE. BYE"

She jogged back to the infirmary in no time at all, and was soon undergoing all manner of tests under the doctor's keen supervision.

"You're sure you're not junctioned to a Guardian Force, Fujin?" Dr. Kadowaki asked, as the younger woman jogged on a treadmill, an oxygen mask worn across her face.

"AFFIRMATIVE," she replied for what seemed to be the fifth or so time.

"It's just the results I'm getting, well, they're far better than any I've seen before, at least for someone who is unjunctioned."

Fujin stopped, placing a foot either side of the treadmill's belt, and turned to face the doctor, taking the mask from her face. "NOT LIAR."

Silence filled the air as both women stared at each other, before Kadowaki finally broke the deadlock. "No, you're right. You've never been a liar, have you? Well, I can't see any reason from these," she made a gesture with the clipboard held in her hand, "as to why you're not fit to re-enter Balamb. Consider yourself a cadet once again."

Fujin grinned, giving a small bow of her head. "THANK YOU."

"I'll type up my notes and send the report in a few hours. I expect Xu will ask to see you tomorrow and you'll be officially reinstated. Just keep yourself out of trouble until then," she finished with a sly wink.

"TRY."

* * *

The previous night had seemed interminably long to Fujin. Alleyra had steadfastly ignored her, but that didn't cause much perturbation, though it did make the air between them seem taut. Instead, she merely read her book, made an entry into her journal, the first for quite a while, did some stretches and went to sleep. All the while, excitement bubbled away deep inside her chest, but she refused to let it show. There was a time and place for emotions, and it most certainly was neither here nor now. In a way, she was channelling the Fujin of old, but there were also significant differences in her outlook upon the world. No more was she so idealistic or blind in how she saw those around her. She had carried hatred towards everyone for so long, but now she realised they were all just trying to get on with their own lives, just like her. Likewise, her adoration for Seifer had waned, leaving her feeling somewhat empty at first. She was... disappointed in him. But that was irrelevant now; he wasn't here and as such, had no place in her thoughts. 

As delightful as she found sleeping in a proper bed again, she was still awake nearly an hour before dawn, a fact she found both reassuring and irritating. She was glad to be sticking to her routine, but today it only meant that she had more hours to waste sitting around and doing nothing. When she had been a cadet, she would often go to the training centre when she found herself awake hours before anyone else, but she had no pass to allow her entrance. Instead, she found herself walking around the place, familiarising herself once more with the only home she could remember. It was all so much larger than it had been a year ago, the missile crisis seeming so distant now. This was a new chapter in the history of both Garden and SeeD; the destruction of Trabia Garden meant that both Balamb and Galbadia Garden had seen their cadet ranks swell with the survivors, though work was underway to restore the fallen Garden. Enrolment of new cadets was up too, with the news of how SeeD had saved the world from the threat of the Sorceress. Word was even going around about a possible fourth Garden being set up on the recently re-revealed Esthar continent, though whether that was merely rumour or not, no one seemed to know.

She rode the elevator up to the second floor and walked through the silent corridors until she emerged outside. She shivered slightly in the breeze as she strode to the balcony's edge, looking out over the darkness-covered Balamb. The site where the Garden used to rest had been restored, once more housing the academy. If she had known of this, her trip could have been significantly shorter, but Fujin found herself glad that she hadn't. She felt fitter than ever, the result of her two-month trek to the Orphanage, and meeting Edea, the real Edea, was... nice. It felt good to spend time with someone who could understand her, someone she could be the real Fujin around. Certainly, she had promised herself to try hard at making friends this time around, but she knew she would still be guarded around them. Maybe it was because Edea had been through a somewhat similar, yet altogether different, situation, that she could be more open with her.

A noise from behind startled her. She spun on her heel, cursing herself for being caught unawares.

"Fujin? Is that you?" the figure said as it stepped out from the doorway, into the light cast from a fixture above the door. Honey blonde hair as neatly arranged as always, glasses worn halfway down her nose so she could fix you with a glare over the lenses, each step made confidently, Quistis Trepe was everything that Fujin hated, since it only made her feel even more inadequate and freakish.

"AFFIRMATIVE," she barked out, keeping the bile in her throat down. Logically, she knew that she had no reason to hate the young instructor so much, none of the attributes she loathed so much were actually Quistis's fault, but she couldn't help it.

"Xu informed me that you were back, though rumour of it had already reached me by then. It's..." she hesitated as she stepped beside Fujin, gazing out over the landscape as the albino done only moments before. "It's good to have you back again." She turned to face Fujin, looking her in the eye. "I mean that, I really do. Guilt I guess. I can't help but feel that I failed Seifer, and in that way, I failed both you and Raijin as well."

"BULLSHIT. WE CHOSE. NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU."

For a moment, the instructor froze in place, before a hesitant smile crept across her face. "Thank you." She turned back to face out over the balcony. "I like to come out here in the mornings, a few moments of piece before my day goes to hell as it inevitably does. No students, no Trepies, no reports; for a short while I'm free of all that."

"LONELY."

"...Yes, I guess I am really. Squall has Rinoa, Zell has Sasha, Irvine went back to Galbadia and Selphie returned to Trabia to help with the rebuilding, though I understand they communicate a lot, so I don't know where that may end up leading to. And here I am, the dull instructor, all by myself. Xu is pretty much the only real friend I have around here. I mean, Rinoa and Zell are alright and everything, it's just I keep ending up being a third, or even a fifth, wheel... Why on earth am I telling you this stuff? It's not like you care."

"TRUE." At the look upon Quistis's face, Fujin realised she needed to clarify what she meant. "TRUE. NOT CARE. GOOD THOUGH. UNBIASED."

"Well... that does make sense I guess. You've got no reason to lie to me."

"NONE," Fujin agreed.

"Well, as I said, it is good to see you back. You were good enough for SeeD when you left, and I saw the results of your medical, so I doubt you're going to have any problems between now and graduation. As long as you don't get into any trouble."

"TROUBLE? ME? HAH!" Fujin said, a large grin spread across her face.

"Yes, you. Oh, I'm sure you won't start it, you're too disciplined for that, but keep your retaliations in check, will you? That's all I ask of you."

"AGREED," she responded, offering a curt nod of her head.

"I should go and prepare for classes. I'll be seeing you around." Offering a respective nod of her head, Quistis made her way back inside, leaving Fujin alone on the balcony.

She found it amusing really, even those that she hated back then, she found to be only human as well. No need for rage or fury, nor indignation, they all had their own issues. How could she hate them, when really, they were just like her? A year ago, she was still bound up in her anger, her fury against the world, but now, she had gone above and beyond that. She was a different person now, she knew that. Just the rest of the world left to convince of that fact.

She stayed to watch the sun crest the horizon, before returning to her dorm room, spending the rest of her time reading.

"Fujin, please report to the administrator's office. I repeat: Fujin, please report to the administrator's office."

As the message coming over the tannoy system ended, Fujin rolled off the bed, grabbing her jacket before leaving her room. Shrugging it on, she made her way to the elevator, this time certain that she was drawing stares. Reaching the third floor, she stepped out and strode confidently into Xu's office.

"Ah, good, you're here," the older woman said, not looking up from her paperwork. "Do you have a preference over which instructor you have?"

"NEGATIVE."

"Alright, Instructor Trepe it is then. GF?"

"PANDEMONA."

"I thought that's what you'd say, so I made sure it was currently unassigned. You can draw it from Instructor Trepe at your first lesson tomorrow." Finally, Xu looked at the woman stood before her. Scooping up a few items from her desk, she rose to her feet and proffered them forwards. "There's your class schedule, a letter of acceptance and your new ID card."

Stepping around the desk, she reached out and took Fujin's spare hand, shaking it firmly. "Welcome back to Balamb Garden, Cadet Fujin."


	3. Bailong Rising

Holy crap, chapter three appears after just over a year! Yeah, I'm not exactly gonna get any prizes for my updating speed.

**ADarkknight:** Funny thing, this chapter, minus the title, clocks in at exactly 4,000 words. In your face :P

**Kai:** Doesn't everyone love Fujin yuri? Zell's a fairly simple person, fairly good-natured. While he never got on with Seifer because of the relentless teasing, I can't really see Fujin treating him the same way, and so he wouldn't have so much of a problem with her, beyond the invasion of Balamb. With his beloved matron on Fujin's side, after getting over his initial abger, he's the kind of guy who'd forgive her. He's just, well, nice. And easy to make fun of xD As for Fujin having a sense of humour, it's not exactly as if it was shown she doesn't in the game; truthfully, she doesn' get much characterisation in the game at all, so most bets are off when it comes to her. Still, Fujin doesn't seem like much of a laugher, but it doesn't mean she's utterly incapable of it.

**renny-chan:** Frozen is such a pain in the arse, I swear! I'm constantly second-guessing everything I do in this, wondering whether it's too similar to Frozen, which just results in me getting hacked-off.

**spikesagitta:** It's the eyepatch, I swear. All women with eyepatches instantly become hot. Or maybe it's just my fetish!

I'd like to really apologise to everyone I've kept waiting for this chapter for so damn long.

There's a few notes at the end of the chapter

* * *

**Chapter Three - Bailong Rising**

Her spirits had been high when she'd returned to the dormitory the previous day, still abuzz from her reacceptance to Balamb Garden, but the night had been long and slow without much rest, her nerves getting the better of her. Sure, she had been approved of by the administration, but that was the easy part. Now she had to deal with her fellow cadets, and they would be far harder to gain acceptance from. She knew she wouldn't be able to keep the things she had done secret; several of the students came from Balamb and would know all about her part in the occupation of the small town.

Not that she wanted to whitewash it all away. She had done those things, she deserved to live the rest of her life carrying that burden, but who could blame her for wanting to try and move past it? All those who suffered because of her actions, that's who.

She lay on her bed - her bed, not having to share with her over-muscled brother, a simple fact she revelled in - one hand resting on her chest over her heart, the back of her other hand draped over her forehead as she stared up at the ceiling, unseeing. For a moment, she considered packing her things and just leaving, going back to Fisherman's Horizon and... well, she'd be running away, and Fujin didn't run from anything she didn't have to, and always felt ashamed when she did. No, she would stick through with this, however nasty it might get. She owed it to herself to not give up.

Rolling onto her side, she glanced at the clock, noting it was still a few hours before her first class, GF Theory. She wouldn't learn anything new, but her attendance was mandatory, and she'd get Pandemona back, reason enough to make sure she'd be there. She frowned at that thought though, remembering what Dr. Kadowaki had said the previous day. She supposed it was all down to her journey from FH to the Orphanage, where she almost constantly had to fight to stay alive. She had quite enjoyed it really, the only muscles she needed to use being the physical ones, not the one in her head. There was something satisfying about just beating the hell out of anything that got in her way. Maybe that was the sort of attitude she should take on her path to becoming a SeeD, just barging straight through whilst paying no heed to those she left in her wake. But then, she knew she could do that quite easily. No, she came here not just to become SeeD, but for a second chance at being... normal. There were things that she could not help, which would certainly hinder such a task, but she didn't want to shy away from it. She wanted friends that weren't Seifer and Raijin; she loved the pair of them, she really did, but they still drove her crazy most of the time, and being cooped up with them for over a year had only exacerbated her exasperation towards them. And what about female friends? So she might not be the most feminine of women, and not much taken to gossiping and general girl talk, or even talking at all, but she still felt somewhat isolated in that sense. The only girls she ever spent time around in FH were whichever bimbos Seifer and/or Raijin were trying to get into bed, whilst Fujin had to sit by herself. They tried setting her up with a few guys, not wanting her to be left out, but it never worked out, mostly because none of them interested her. She was sick of it being just her, Seifer and Raijin all of the time, so now she was throwing herself into a situation where she could potentially make new, different friends. And that's why she couldn't afford to just plough through this year as a cadet, however much easier that might be for her.

She looked at the clock again, noting only a few minutes had passed. It wasn't like her, she decided, to be this nervous. Not for herself at least. She rolled off the bed and quickly dressed herself, grabbing her chakram before leaving. At least this morning she could work off her stress. She paused outside of Alleyra's door, listening to the curious noises coming from inside, but she shrugged her shoulders and ignored it, instead heading for the training centre.

She found she quite liked the silent hallways, even though the normal bustle was part of what made Balamb Garden what it was. It was these quiet times that she felt most at home there, just her and Garden. Arriving at the training centre, she ran her card through the reader attached to the door, resulting in a beep and a red light flashing up on the display. Fujin frowned, running her card through the reader again, only getting the same response. Looking closer at the display panel, she read the message that appeared upon it, before lashing out with her foot to strike the unmoving door. If Raijin had been here, she'd probably have kicked his shin, but he wasn't, so the door would just have to suffice, even if it hurt her more than she had hurt the door.

As she strode down the long corridor, back towards the central hub of Balamb Garden, Fujin had an idea, taking the elevator up to the second floor, heading for the balcony. A lone figure stood there, looking out towards the lightening horizon.

"INSTRUCTOR," Fujin said, eliciting a squeak and a jump from the unsuspecting woman.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she said as she turned around, clutching a hand to her chest, as she willed her heart rate down.

Fujin just stared back at her impassively, arms hanging loosely by her side as she cocked her head.

"Can I help you with..." Quistis's eyes trailed down to the chakram still held by Fujin, before quickly looking back up to meet her gaze.

"TRAINING CENTRE. CAN'T GET IN."

"Oh... Oh! You had me worried for a moment there."

"AFRAID?" Fujin asked, raising the chakram held in her fist.

"Well, more nervous than afraid. I should know better than to think you'd just attack me or something."

"SHOULD YOU?"

Quistis felt chills run up her spine at the cold tone in Fujin's distorted voice, but swallowed it down. "I should believe in you, in the fact that you want to change, that you want to better yourself. That you're here for yourself, and not some hidden agenda. You deserve a second chance, and you won't get that so long as people like me cling to suspicion around you."

"NEGATIVE. SHOULDN'T FORGET."

"And you're alright with that? With not being trusted, with being constantly watched with suspicion?"

"FIGHT. STRUGGLE. EARN TRUST. REDEMPTION."

Running her fingers through her hair, Quistis sighed in frustration. "I can respect that, but I still think it's making things unnecessarily harder upon yourself. Though, it's not like I can control the attitude of everyone in Garden to make it easier on you, so there'll at least be some people who will treat you that way, but there'll be people like me as well, those who believe in you. Whether you like it or not!"

Fujin growled, making Quistis laugh. "You are such a grouch, aren't you?"

"TRAINING CENTRE!" Fujin barked out, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh right. Well, technically you're not allowed in there unsupervised without passing the battle proficiency tests, and in theory, you haven't done that yet." At another growl from the white-haired woman, Quistis gave a small smile before continuing. "The bureaucracy is irritating, I realise, but it's there for a reason. You'll have to do the exams, even though we both know you're more than capable of passing them, so I'll try and get the first one set up for sometime this week, alright?"

"WILL SUFFICE."

"Well, I should probably get ready for the day ahead. Don't forget your first lesson with me is in just a few hours. I'll see you then Fujin."

For the second time in as many days, Fujin found herself alone on the balcony, staring out at the horizon as the sun slowly rose. Returning to the dorms, she paused outside of Alleyra's door once more, the noises from earlier seemingly unabated. She hesitated for a moment, before deciding to leave the younger girl alone and entering her own room. Putting her chakram away, she sat on the bed, staring at the wall for a few long minutes, unsure of what exactly she should do. In the old days, she'd be training right now, passing the time until Seifer and Raijin got up, and from then until the end of her day, she always knew what she was doing. But now, now she had time to herself, so much of it, and she had no idea how to spend that time. Even with access to the training centre, she couldn't spend all of her free time there; she'd get bored and fed up of it. But being unable to leave Garden severely restricted the possibilities. No, there was only one thing for it. She was going to have to make some friends, or die trying.

Rising from her bed, she moved into the small communal area and knocked on the door to 29a. The sounds from within ceased, but no reply came, so she knocked again, harder this time.

"Go away!" she heard Alleyra yell through the door, her voice still deep with fatigue.

"MORNING. GET UP," Fujin replied, rapping her fist a third time upon the door.

"Six A.M. is not the morning, now piss off!"

"SUN ROSE. IS MORNING. GET UP."

"For the love of Hyne... Alright, alright, I'll get up! Stupid freak."

Fujin waited, her arms crossed over her chest as she stood before the still-closed door. As a startled yelp followed by a cry of pain came from inside, she quickly moved into action. Reaching out, she slid open the hidden panel by the door, unlatching the magnetic bolt. Sliding the panel closed as she pulled open the door, she found Alleyra sprawled on the floor, clutching at her thigh. The younger woman looked up in surprise as Fujin moved to crouch before her.

"How did you--"

"HURT?" Fujin quickly interrupted.

"I just lost my balance. Anyway, how did you--"

"PUT WEIGHT ON BAD LEG?" Fujin interrupted again.

"I'm fine already! Now stop interrupting and just tell me how you got in?" Alleyra bellowed.

"SECRET," Fujin replied simply as she rose to her feet, her face impassive as she loomed over the girl still sprawled across the floor.

Alleyra flinched momentarily as the hands came out towards her, Fujin reflexively shifting backwards, an unreadable expression upon her face. They remained like that for a few moments before Fujin again extended her hands out to Alleyra, coming to a rest before her. Ignoring them, Alleyra grabbed onto the bed, using it to haul herself to her feet, wobbling somewhat unsteadily. "I'm not a cripple, I don't need your help," she snarled, as she steadied herself with a hand upon the wall.

"NOT A FREAK, NOT NEED YOUR CRAP," Fujin replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "GET DRESSED. BREAKFAST." She turned to leave, but her eye was caught by the weapon hanging from two hooks embedded in the left wall. A six-foot long metal shaft bearing a pointed weight upon one end, a large curved blade on the other. Looking back at Alleyra, she gave a small smile. "GUANDAO. NICE," she commented before exiting the room.

Striding into the attached bathroom, she turned on the tap, splashing water onto her face. Turning it off, Fujin dried her face with a towel, before staring into the mirror, trying to erase the image of Alleyra wearing nothing but a skimpy dressing gown from her mind. She frowned as a stray thought crossed her brain. Alleyra had flinched away from her hands. Fujin's movements hadn't been sudden, and yet, Alleyra's instincts told her to be afraid. Did she know of Fujin's past and feared her because of it? The idea disheartened her, that she might have already lost a potential friend, someone she could actually reach out to and connect with.

Heading back to her room, she passed Alleyra clad only in a towel, presumably going to take a shower. Closing the door behind her, Fujin opened up her closet, reaching inside and withdrawing a large blue jacket. It had been quite a while since she'd worn it, since it had proved neither thick enough while climbing through the mountains of Esthar, nor thin enough whilst crossing the Kashkabald Desert. Freshly cleaned by Edea, a fact that still mortified her to think of, it was now fit to wear, but still she hesitated. To her it was a symbol of who she had been back then, a uniform marking her membership of the posse, something that would only serve to remind herself and others of that time. Shaking her head, she moved to hang it back up in the closet when a screech sounded from the bathroom. Dropping the jacket, she barrelled out of her room as the bathroom door opened up, a naked Alleyra dripping water over the floor as she glared at Fujin. Turning her head away, the older woman stared at the wall, a look of consternation crossing her face.

"TOO COLD?" she asked hesitantly, having realised what must have happened.

"Yes," came the icy response from Alleyra, scowling with her hands on her hips.

"APOLOGIES. NOT GOOD WITH HEAT. FORGOT TO TURN BACK UP. WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN."

"It better not!" Alleyra replied, spinning around and stalking back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Jumping slightly at the loud banging noise it made, Fujin turned to face the closed door, scratching her head nervously. The younger girl puzzled her, so antagonistic and expressing confidence in her movement, and yet... Fujin couldn't help think back to Alleyra flinching away from her hands.

Returning to her room once more, she pulled out a black polo-neck, pulling it on over her t-shirt, carefully arranging the collar to cover the jagged scar across her throat. Picking up the book she had been reading, 'Hidden World: Esthar After Adel', she went back to the common area and curled up in a chair, opening up to the bookmark.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Alleyra returned, dressed in her cadet uniform, crutch tucked under her arm. Replacing the bookmark, Fujin slipped the paperback into the back pocket of her jeans and walked to the front door, holding it open for Alleyra. Though the sun was indeed up, no one else seemed to be moving about as the two made their way through the dormitory block, their footsteps echoing in the silence around them. Fujin noted that her companion was manoeuvring a lot better than she had the previous day, having gotten the hang of using the crutch. As they reached the cafeteria, Fujin once more opened the door for Alleyra, entering behind her.

"We haven't got anything ready yet!" yelled out a voice from the depths behind the counter, startling the younger of the pair. Fujin, on the other hand, flipped up the panel in the counter, slipping through while motioning to Alleyra to follow her, a smile tugging at her lips.

"Didn't you hear me? We haven't got anything for y--" The voice cut off abruptly as the owner of the voice stepped into view. Easily topping six feet, the woman was heavyset, her limbs thick and strong, though they showed signs of having gone to seed over the years. Her black hair was pulled back into a messy bun popping out from the back of the hat she wore, a few loose strands tucked behind her ears. With her darkened skin and almond-shaped eyes, Alleyra couldn't place where she came from.

"Well I'll be damned, I didn't think I'd see you again!" the woman cried, a smile on her face as she moved towards the albino.

Alleyra gasped as the punch connected.

Truth be told, the blow hadn't caught Fujin off guard, she had just chosen not to avoid it. Staggering backwards a few steps, she caught her balance, drawing herself upright and holding herself with dignity as she stared back unflinchingly as the older woman drew near again. Readying herself to step in with her crutch, Alleyra was surprised when Fujin was scooped up in those strong arms and lifted off the floor in a large hug.

"Hyne, how long has it been?" she asked, setting the younger woman back down on the floor, a large grin gracing her features.

"FIFTEEN MONTHS, TWENTY-THREE DAYS," Fujin replied, self-consciously.

"You don't call, you don't write!"

"HARD TO HIDE WHEN SENDING MESSAGES," came the stony response, contradicted by the small smile upon Fujin's face.

Alleyra was confused. Why had the tall woman hit Fujin? Why had Fujin been hiding? She knew she was missing something, but she had no idea what it was.

"So you've come back. Signed up as a cadet again have you, Bailong?"

"Bailong?" Alleyra echoed, confusion plainly evident upon her face.

The taller woman turned to face her, surprised. "Forgive me, I forgot you were there, miss. Bailong means White Dragon in our language. And just who would you be?"

"Alleyra Velmar, ma'am."

Turning to Fujin, the older woman raised an eyebrow in question.

"ROOMMATE," answered Fujin, offering a shrug.

"Our language, you said?" Alleyra interrupted again, somewhat irked.

"Yes, we're both from Wa, a small island between Esthar and the Centra continent. I was quite surprised when two of my countrymen turned up here at Garden. We mostly keep to ourselves these days, living our lives in isolation from the outside world."

Silence crept over the three as they stood in the large kitchen, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Well, I should get back to the food. It won't be too long until I have a hoard of hungry cadets storming the counter. Help yourself to whatever you want, Bailong, and the same goes to you, Miss Alleyra."

"Thank you," Alleyra responded. As the older woman turned away, she called out again. "What's your name?"

"Oh, did I forget to say? I am Inari. Kaizoku Inari." And with that, she was gone.

Laughter caused Alleyra to turn to face Fujin who had a hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the noise. "What's so funny?"

"NAME. MEANS BOILED RICE PIRATE."

"And what does yours mean?"

"GOD OF WIND."

"What about your family name?"

"NO FAMILY. NO NAME. ALONE EXCEPT BROTHER. NOW SIT," Fujin said, gesturing towards a nearby stool.

Perched upon her seat, Alleyra watched the older girl as she started to cook. Neither of them spoke, the only sounds those coming from the food and that of Inari and her colleagues working elsewhere in the kitchen.

Alleyra still didn't know if she liked Fujin, or was just incredibly annoyed with her, but she was certainly intrigued by the little snippets she had picked up here and there about her mysterious roommate.

The food done, Fujin dished it up, leading Alleyra back out into the dining area, sitting at a table near the large windows that covered the far wall. Alleyra tried to remember when was the last time she'd eaten with someone, but struggled to bring a time up in recent memory. No, she was very much the outcast here in Balamb Garden, and it was only a matter of time until Fujin turned away from her as well. She knew better than to look for friendship from the albino. Everyone always ended up hating her.

As they ate, a steady flow of cadets entered the cafeteria, the increasing number making Alleyra more and more nervous, something that didn't escape Fujin's notice. Her brow furrowed in puzzlement as she glanced around the large room, but nothing particularly stood out. She wasn't very good at this, but she'd at least make the effort. Reaching out, she placed her hand over Alleyra's, who flinched at the touch once again. "WHO MADE YOU AFRAID?"

"I... I'm not af--"

Alleyra was cut off by the arrival of someone standing by their table. Fujin didn't look, instead watching Alleyra's eyes open wide in fright as she turned her head.

"Aw, look at the dykes holding hands!" a male voice spat out filled with venom. At his words, Alleyra snatched her hand away, clutching it to her chest as she cast her eyes downwards. Pushing her chair backwards, Fujin rose to her feet, the scraping sound causing Alleyra to look back up at her.

"DYKES?" Fujin said emotionlessly, as she turned to face the newcomer. He stood an inch or two taller than her, spiked brown hair adding another inch or so, his frame toned and trim, but not especially large. He looked familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place him. The same couldn't be said for him, as his face paled in recognition.

"Fujin... what are you..." he trailed off. Whispers started to spread around the room as more and more people recognised the white-haired woman. Alleyra didn't know what was going on, but it seemed that Fujin was somewhat famous here at Balamb Garden. Alleyra was still fairly new at the Garden, having transferred from Trabia the previous year after the Second Sorceress War.

"Traitor!" someone in the background cried out. "How dare you come back?" a second voice called, and soon several other people joined in, crying out foul imprecations towards her. Fujin held her head up high, letting all their curses pass her by like she didn't care.

"Hey! Shut it!" a new voice bellowed, drawing attention to the source. Zell stood in the centre of the room, fists clenched at his sides as he sucked in breath, before continuing. "We all know Fujin's past, and no one here's got more reason than me to hate her, but it don't matter! Cid, Squall, and even Edea have all given their blessing to her rejoining Balamb Garden, so just suck it up! If you don't back the hell off already, I'll write the whole lot of you up!"

As several people sat back down, or left the cafeteria quickly, the boy who instigated it all leaned in towards Fujin. "This isn't over, freak," he hissed, malevolently. "We'll be seeing you again."

Realisation finally dawned on Fujin. "CAPTAIN PEE-PEE PANTS!" she cried out in exclamation, the name Seifer had given him after an unfortunate incident with the Disciplinary Committee.

Silence suddenly echoed around the room as the boy's face turned a deep red, everyone staring at him. Letting out a cry of rage, he lashed out, smashing his fist into Fujin's face, snapping her head backwards.

Slowly, she turned it to face back at him, a sick grin spreading across her face. "THANK YOU." As he swung again, this time she caught his fist within one of her own, squeezing hard as she pulled it to one side. Jabbing the fingers of her free hand into his throat, he gagged harshly, before crumpling to his knees as she drove her knee into his chest. Releasing his hand, she clasped hers together and smashed them downwards across his temple, pulling back for a second hit. Hands grasped her wrists, and she turned to face the cool grey eyes of Zell as the boy slumped face-first to the floor, unconscious.

"Cool it Fujin, it's over!" he said, looking her in the eye. Satisfied that she'd calmed down, he let go of her and took a step backwards.

Looking down at her victim, Fujin sneered, dropping her arms by her side. "MESSAGE SENT."

Alleyra sat perfectly still in her seat, having not moved a single inch the whole time. Who the hell was this woman?

* * *

Bailong : White Dragon, as explained in the chapter. It's one of the five canonized dragon kings, named by Emperor Huizong of Song. 

Guandao: A gnarly looking spear. It's use is actually quite unconventional for a spear; it relies heavily upon agility and dexterity, often incorporated into a very flowing, dance-like style. It's mostly used in Wushu these days. An example can be seen at http://www.ampg.asso.cc-pays-de-gex.fr/Images/guandao-t.jpg

Wa: The ancient name for Japan. I wanted a distinctly oriental name, but logically, I couldn't use China or Japan. Xu is a very Chinese name, alongside Fujin and Raijin, who are Shinto gods (Japanese), so there's most likely a somewhat oriental region in the FF8 world. For me, I'd be somewhat inclined to just label Esthar so, but it doesn't quite fit (maybe more Russian than oriental). The island I picked for Wa (which I should note, Xu DOES NOT come from) is just on the south-west corner of the Estharian continent.

Inari: God of Fertility, rice, agriculture, and others; Kaizoku: Sea Robber/Pirate. Also, interestingly, different writings of Fujin produce some interesting translations; heartlessness/inhumanity, battle formation/lineup, woman, etc.

One last thing, a small request. Does anyone remember the name of an FF8 fanfic that focuses mostly on Xu, Quistis and an OC starting several years before the game as Quistis first joins Balamb Garden as a cadet? I really liked the fic, even though there's no femmeslash in it at all, but I can't seem to find it anymore.

Thanks for reading, and here's hoping it's not another year 'til chapter 4!


End file.
